Founders hope new festival brings whimsy to downtown Comer

The streets of Comer will be filled with the aroma and sights of a festival on Saturday as the founders of FaeryFest 2008 hope to bring something a little more enchanting to the small town.

Comer residents Jennifer Lumpkin and Tina McCullough are the event's co-founders and they're hoping the community enjoys this unusual festival enough during the first year that it will become an annual event. The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

"FaeryFest is already gaining momentum as the Southeast's Most Enchanting Festival," Lumpkin said. "It's the only festival of its kind in this region of the U.S."

The duo is combining the theme of a fairy renaissance - geared at family fun and a juried arts and crafts show - to the more down-to-earth charm of historic Comer.

"FaeryFest's focus is on presenting an absolutely enchanting, one-of-a-kind festival event," Lumpkin said. "It will be sure to entertain and delight families, children and adults who have the special spark of fun and playfulness in their hearts."

The festival will host live music, entertainment and performances throughout the day and into the evening. Local bands - ranging in styles from bluegrass to folk rock and Celtic - will perform and there also will be dancing exhibitions during the day.

Additional events include The Kingdom of Bounce play center for children, artists, vendors, Furry Faery Friends Petting and Education Zoo, Faery Bubble Grove, Make N' Take fairy crafts, "Best Dressed Faery" costume contest, as well as downtown shopping and dining.

McCullough said the festival should be fun.

"FaeryFest presents a truly whimsical, playful and just plain fun community event setting where locals and visitors can delight in the sights, sounds, flavors and creative wonder of imagination and art," she said.

"There is something for everyone. For a child, interacting with a beautiful animal and learning about its habitat could be a memory in the making. For some, creating a handmade fairy toy could become a treasured favorite and others might relish in the joy of live music and incredible performances presented in a gorgeous outdoor stage setting. FaeryFest brings alive the playful magic and joy inside all of us," she said.

Lumpkin said she hopes that 100 to 500 people will attend the festival.

"As a new festival, we estimated based on attendance for other Comer-based special events," Lumpkin said. "There will be plenty of room to grow as the 'Southeast's Most Enchanting Festival.' "

The festival will have several vendors, including Faeryscapes Hand Painted Murals and Art by Lori Martin, Arcane Artistic Faery Art and Jewelry by Natalie Banathy, Crimson Art Henna and Cup of Karma Café.

"It is still unknown at this time how many vendors we will host," McCullough said. "As a juried festival, we aim to have a lively, exciting and fresh group of vendors."

Lumpkin and McCullough began planning the event in 2007.

"Faeries have remained a beautiful, fun and intriguing area of interest to me since childhood," Lumpkin said. "Nearly two years ago, I suffered from a debilitating stroke at the age of 31 and was temporarily paralyzed. After working arduously and passionately in the field of autism for many years, I awakened from my experience with the stroke with renewed gratitude for the beauty and gifts that life offers each day."

Lumpkin admits she released her serious career path and began focusing on bringing more joy and awe for everyday miracles into the lives of others.

"To me, fairies are the perfect representation and culmination of living purposefully and with bliss," she said. "Fairies open up the heart and the imagination to worlds of whimsy and happiness, which is something everyone deserves."

She and her husband decided to relocate to Comer, where the couple owns a 100-year-old historic home. Soon afterward, she opened Faeryland Emporium in downtown Comer.

"I opened it for the community and myself," Lumpkin said. "It is a place of great joy and peace, where people from all walks of life remark how much they love being in the store."

It was at this time, Lumpkin began brainstorming about creating a faery-themed festival.

"I discovered several similar festivals in other regions of the United States, Canada and the (United Kingdom)," she said. "I was both delighted and shocked to learn that communities thrived and visitors loved these unique festivals."

Simultaneously, McCullough had been independently brainstorming about creating a special, one-of-a-kind event in Comer as well. McCullough owns Blue Bird Gallery in Comer and Athena Gallery in Athens with her husband, Shannon.

"Tina contributes so much of her time and heart into helping our community thrive," Lumpkin said. "It is her creativity, business savvy and fabulous personality that inspired me to feel confident in opening up a business in Comer."

The duo agrees Comer is the ideal location for FaeryFest.

"Our picturesque, quaint downtown area is framed by alcoves and streets boasting scores of homes from 100 years ago and older," McCullough said. "We are a treasure, a time hidden pocket of artists, musicians, creative and entrepreneurial visionaries and leaders - including young families, educators, professionals and people who care more about quality than quantity in life. We proudly maintain a progressive, enlightened feeling coupled with the historic and charming atmosphere that makes any southern town a winning one."

FaeryFest 2008 is sponsored by the city of Comer, the Comer Downtown Development Council, Faeryland Emporium and Blue Bell Gallery. The event is free and open to the public.